Badges
by brilliant incandescence
Summary: In which Albus gets a badge that James wants.
1. Chapter 1

Badges

"James! Al! Lily! Breakfast's ready!" Ginny called up the stairs as she put the last plate of pancakes on the table. Harry came up from behind her and set the syrup there as well. He leaned into and whispered into her ear.

"Neville's told me who the Quidditch Captain is." She merely raised an eyebrow in response.

"And pray tell, Harry, who could it be?" Harry gave a wink and sat down at the table.

"I promised to keep it a secret."

"You git!" Ginny gave him a push in the arm before sitting down herself.

James and Lily promptly sat in their seats and dug in, muttering a rough 'good morning' to their parents. Al took his time as he descended the stairs, taking care not to trip. He was too enticed by the book in his hand to stop reading. Luckily, he had the skill not to trip on the various things left lying on the floor.

"Albus, put the book down and eat." His mother snapped at him. Albus gave her a sheepish smile and placed it in his lap before digging into his food.

"So Dad," James tried to say slyly, his mouth still full of the doughy food. "I heard you and Mum talking, you found out who the Quidditch Captain is?" Without bothering to wait for a response, James continued. "Care to share?"

Harry shook his head and grinned. "Secret, James. Besides, you don't have to wait long." He pointed his fork to the window as three owls flew in through the window, quickly dropping letters into the laps of the three children.

James was bounding with excitement by now, and in his haste, he practically ripped his letter. He was muttering to himself all the while, amusing both his parents. "I didn't get it..." James' shoulders drooped. "I'm going to talk to Fred, maybe he got it." James quickly ran to the fireplace, ignoring his unfinished breakfast. His father raised an eyebrow at Al.

"And did you get what you wished for?"

Albus, who took his time finishing his forkful of food, had yet to open his letter. He worked much more carefully than James, and opened the letter with much more care, nearly dropped his letter to the floor in surprise as two badges fell out of it.

Albus Severus Potter didn't want much. He only really wanted a Prefect badge. His wish had been granted, but more so, _he_ had also gotten what James wanted, the badge of a Quidditch Captain, for Gryffindor. Acting quickly, he stuffed it into his pocket and proudly presented the other to his parents.

"Yup. What I've always wanted, the Prefect badge."

"That's great, Al. Anything else?" His father asked, implying much more than it seemed.

"What? No! I didn't, nothing else, nothing of the sort." He answered all too quickly, anyone could tell he was lying. He was extremely lucky that James didn't happen to be in the room at the time. He muttered a quick excuse about having to tell Rose the good news before dashing to his room where his owl was currently sleeping. He threw his book down on his bed and searched his all too messy desk for some parchment and a quill.

"Patientia! Wake up! I need to send something! It's urgent!" The owl glared at its master as it was woken from slumber. "Please! You need to get this to Uncle Neville!"

_Dear Professor Longbottom,_

_Did you make a mistake Professor? Was the badge supposed to go to James?_

_- Al Potter_

Not an hour later, the owl flew back carrying another letter.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_As the head of Gryffindor, I am to choose the most important player on the team to receive the badge of the Captain. I am sure that I have picked the right person._

_-Professor Longbottom_

Albus' eyes widened and he quickly wrote a reply.

_Uncle Neville,_

_Are you trying to get me killed by James? He's never going to forgive me. I won't be able to sleep at night until he graduates. I hope you know that, so you should really reconsider because I like sleep._

_-Al_

Neville laughed as he read the letter and quickly wrote a reply.

_Al,_

_I want you to be alive as much as you do. If James has a problem with you, tell him to talk to me._

_-Neville_

Albus gave up hope. Clearly his professor was deranged in the mind. He was just going to have to face the facts and tell James. With a deep breath of air, he set of for the fireplace, knowing that James would most likely be conferencing with Fred as to who could possibly be the Captain.

Albus stopped before the entrance to the room, gathering up his courage. He was a Gryffindor after all, wasn't he? He should man up and be brave. That was, until he heard his parents.

"Are you telling me that Albus got the badge, Harry?"

"I am. He is an amazing seeker."

"Are you implying that seekers are better than chasers?" The venom in her voice was clear.

"Of course not dear, I am merely saying that seekers give a larger pull in the game."

"Harry James Potter! You will not sit there and tell me that seekers are better. I'll have you know, that enough points have been scored by chasers so that it didn't matter whether or not—"

Albus shuddered as he realized what his parents were doing, but it didn't matter because it proved his point. His mother, as a chaser would believe that James should have gotten the badge because he was a highly skilled chaser, but his father, as a seeker, would believe that he deserved the badge. All in all, James would be furious.

He stopped at the entrance to the family room, he could hear James and Fred talking.

"James, it doesn't make sense, I mean, you're the best chaser around at Hogwarts, and I clearly the best beater." They took after their grandparent/father a lot. "No one else even compares to us, so who, who could nick that badge from us?"

"I don't know, but when I do find out, I'm going to kill him." Taking another deep breath, Albus stepped into the room.

"I don't think that'll go well with Mum and Dad." James turned around to glare at his brother.

"I'm talking with Fred, Albus, _bugger off._" Albus closed his eyes and lifted up the badge in one hand for James to see. James' jaw dropped open. "WHAT? YOU! My own little brother beat me out for Captain?" Albus winced at the volume.

"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER! DO NOT SCREAM AT YOUR BROTHER!" Their mother's voice came from the kitchen, slightly flustered.

"I'm sorry, James! I really didn't think I would get it! I even told Uncle Neville that I thought you deserved it!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Just ask him." Albus nodded his head frantically.

"I suppose I can't kill you now, Mum would never let me. So clearly, that means I'll just have to get you back _real_ good." Albus gulped at the devious look in James' eyes.

"I, erm... I'll just... I mean... I ah... I'll just go to my room." James nodded, smiling devilishly.

"Of course, Albus. Go to your room. You'll be safe there." Albus' eyes widened and he quickly ran from the room.

"James... you're not going to actually hurt him are you?" James jumped in the air and turned around.

"FRED! I thought you left."

"And miss that? You were letting him off easy, mate."

"Oh trust me, when I get to Hogwarts and Mum and Dad can't do anything, he is going to _pay._" Both boys laughed together heartily, enjoying the torture yet to come.

_A/N: So what did you think? _


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay, Fred, Louis," James gave each a nod. "We're a week into school and Al's finally let off his guard, we can finally strike."

"I can't believe he actually thinks you'd let him off so easy." Fred grinned mischievously. "What are we going to do?" He leaned forward on the makeshift table they'd set up in their dorm, the only place they could plot privately without Albus discovering their intentions.

"Well," James paused to make sure they were paying attention. "I was thinking of letting a lizard loose in his bed, you both know how he gets when he's near anything that even slithers a bit."

"Why don't you just put a snake in his room?"

"Fred... er..." James bit his lip in apprehension, "Remember, the... er... last time I did that? To tease him about getting into Slytherin..." Both Fred and Louis nodded their heads.

"You told us that your parents grounded you for two months, without a broom or any WWW products."

"My mom may have un-subtly implied that she'd let Albus do _anything_ he wanted with my room, _and_ give him _my_ broom, and er..." James squeezed his eyes shut. "Please don't make me say it!"

"Jamesie," Fred inched closer and hover about an inch from his face. "We all want to know, just say it, James."

"She... saidshe'."

"Really?" "Your stuffed dog?"

James threw his hands up in the air in defeat. "YES! My stuffed little shaggy black haired dog that my parents thought they should give me when I was a baby because of the irony, now can we PLEASE get back on topic?" He glared at his two cousins as they burst into laughter.

"Your—" Both were clutching their sides rolling on the floor laughing their heads off.

"YOU GUYS CAN SHUT IT NOW!" James glared at the two as they tried unsuccessfully to halt their laughter.

"So... a...l-lizard?" Fred asked as soon as he could speak. James nodded.

"Are you sure it's smart to do this right before the tryouts?" Louis asked, he was always the voice of reason within the group.

"Al wouldn't _dare_ give my spot to anyone else, I'm the best chaser Hogwarts has ever seen!" James puffed his chest up and pounded it with a fist.

"If you're sure... but let the record show that I was against this." James and Fred nodded absentmindedly, already huddled up together to plan the perfect way to sneak the lizard in.

* * *

><p>"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!" The cry was heard loud and clear throughout Gryffindor Tower the morn of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team tryouts. The other students groaned. This wasn't the first time they'd heard the scream.<p>

Albus stormed up the stairs to the seventh year dorms, a bright green lizard sitting precariously in his hand. He stopped short of James' four poster bed before he yanked open the curtains and glared at James.

"My dear little brother! I didn't know you could even be so _impolite_ and yank open someone's curtains. What if I hadn't been wearing any clothes?" Albus glared at his brother.

"I hope you have fun sitting in the stands _every single match,_ James." Al threw the lizard on James sheets and turned around to leave when he saw all the other heads poking out of the curtains. "FRED!"

"Al! I didn't! I mean, JAMES MADE ME DO IT!" Fred broke under Al's glare. An upset Albus wasn't one to be messed with, but an _angry_ Albus? All the Weasleys knew that Angry Albus was not one to be messed with.

"I. Don't. Care." His fists were clenched. "Potter, Weasley, don't even bother showing up for tryouts." His voice was laced with venom. "Louis, I need you, if you don't show up, I'll make sure everyone knows _you_ were the one who _accidentally _destroyed Neville's greenhouse when you were looking for that book. He _promised_ to punish them accordingly, I'm sure you know what that means." He smiled evilly and left the room.

* * *

><p>"Alright, any keepers or seekers can leave now." Albus looked at the dejected faces of the students leaving. "I need chasers and beaters. Chasers on the left, beaters on the right."<p>

James and Fred sat in the stands watching the tryout, completely put out.

"I can't believe your brother. He actually kicked us off the team." Fred grumbled, "None of those guys are _even_ close to as good as us!"

"I KNOW! And it's our last year..." James glared as his brother. "Worse, the rest of the old team keeps laughing at us." Fred nodded his head in agreement. "Even _Rose_ seems to be laughing at us. It's like she knows something that we don't."

James sighed and slumped down in his seat as Albus announced that the results would be posted in the common room later. Neither Fred or James noticed that Albus was only looking for a _single_ new chaser and a _single_ new beater when he should have needed two of each.

* * *

><p>"James! Fred! Al posted the results!" Louis ran into the room.<p>

"We're busy!" Fred called as James said,

"Can't you see we're plotting our revenge?" He gestured to the many papers in front of him. Ignoring both their cries of displeasure, Louis dragged them down the stairs. They were greeted by the sight of roughly five angry looking Gryffindors screaming their heads off at Al.

"They weren't even at the tryouts! Why are they on the team?"

"This is family biased!"

"SHUT UP!" Albus was glaring at them all. "It has nothing to do with family. They didn't not get on the team because we're related. They are genuinely good players. So either you leave me the bloody hell alone right now, or take it up with Professor Longbottom." He turned and stalked up the stairs of the boys dorm. The three boys barely managed to squeeze out of the way.

"What was Al talking about?" Fred turned to Louis. Ignoring the question, Louis steered them towards the parchment with the results.

_Gryffindor Quidditch Team Roster _

_Chasers – Chris Merrick, James Potter, Lily Potter_

_Beaters – Edgar Wood, Fred Weasley_

_Keeper – Louis Weasley_

"Our- our names are on there..." James was dumbfounded. "But Al never backs out on what he says."

"I don't think Al was ever actually planning on cutting you two from the team. He was probably just trying to scare you."

* * *

><p>Albus sat in his dorm on the window seat, looking at the night sky, much like his father had done before in the very same dorm. James walked in carefully, making sure to make some sort of noise for his presence to be known. It was never a good idea to sneak up on Albus.<p>

"Hey, Al." James sat down next to his brother. "Why are you glaring at the moon?"

"I'm not glaring at the moon. I'm glaring at imaginary versions of those idiots at the tryout."

"Are they suspended outside the window?"

"Clearly, yes."

"I thought you were cutting me from the team." Albus raised an eyebrow at him.

"I was."

"So why am I on the team?" Albus raised his other eyebrow.

"Do you not _want_ to be on the team?"

"Of course I do! I mean- I er..." James sucked in a breath, he couldn't stand sound even the slightest bit like a 'wuss'. "Yeah, yeah. I like being on the team, it's cool..."

"Right..." But Albus knew that was James speak for 'Thanks'.

_A/N: Well that's it. I hope you enjoyed the story._


End file.
